Pub. 4 Issue 3

9 Issue 3 2018 A uto manufacturers and their partners are constant ly work i ng to improve bat ter y technology, wh ich has led to dramat ic advances in electric vehicle development. This has led to a slew of recent and soon- to -be-i nt roduced EV of fer i ngs ac ross t he spec t r um. ccording to InsideEVs.com, 174,000 plug-in electric vehicles (across 40 available models) were sold in the U.S. in the first 11 months of 2017. That number will continue to grow as more models hit dealer lots and manufacturers continue working on electrification, including the development of dedicated EV platforms that can be used for vehicles of varying body types. It’s become easier to add batteries to vehicles as the costs have come down. When the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf were introduced in 2010, it was reported that they cost about $400 per kilowatt hour (kWh). Some say that cost has come down as much as $200 in the past seven years and the Department of Energy has set an industry target of $125 percent by 2022. While the launch of a new Tesla model seems to grab all the headlines, there are dozens of electrified vehicles heading to dealership showrooms over the next few years from virtually every manufacturer. This year alone saw the introduction of the BMW i3, Honda Clarity, Hyundai Ioniq, Kia Niro, Mitsubishi Outlander, the 2nd generation Nissan Leaf, Smart ForTwo, Volkswagen e-Golf and Volvo XC60 T8. According to Automotive News, the following elec- tric vehicles (ref lecting a broad range of body st yles and price ranges) are also expected to be rolled out: 2018 • Acura RDX • Audi Q8 • Bentley Bentayga & Continental GT • BMW i8 & X3 – * World debut at the LA Auto Show • Chevrolet Volt (updated) • Honda Civic • Hyundai Kona – * North American debut at the LA Auto Show • Jaguar I-Pace • Mercedes Benz GLC350e & S560e • Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid • Subaru plug-in hybrid 2019 • Acura MDX • Aston Martin RapidE • Audi e-tron crossover • Bentley Continental Flying Spur & Mulsanne • Ford Escape & Model E • Genesis GV80 • Kia Optima • Lamborghini Urus • Lincoln MKC – * World debut at the LA Auto Show • Mazda EV • Mercedes-Benz EQC • Mini EV • Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross – * North American debut at the LA Auto Show • Volvo EVs 2020 • Acura TLX • Audi A6/ S6/ A7/ S7/ RS 7 • BMW i3 & X3 • Chevrolet Bolt EV • Chrysler Pacifica • Genesis GV70 • Maserati Alfieri • Mercedes-Benz E class & EQA • Mini Countryman • Mitsubishi EV • Porsche sedan EV • Volkswagen EV crossover & e-Golf 2021 • BMW iNEXT • Cadillac EV • Chevrolet Volt crossover • Genesis EV sedan • Mercedes-Benz EQ sedans • Porsche Macan coupe • Subaru EV crossover • Volkswagen EV sedan Dealers are already positioned to adapt to changes in the auto retailing landscape. As electric vehicle sales continue to grow and manufacturers pursue other mobility options, such as autonomous vehicles, car sharing and subscription services, dealers WILL adapt.  Manufacturers Are Embracing the Production Of Electric Vehicles